Way North Fishing Reports

 Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 19 Update:

Water conditions on the lower Susquehanna River and Susquehanna Flats are muddy thanks to recent thunderstorms and water releases from the Conowingo Dam. The fish are still biting though, and the striped bass bite on the flats appeared to still be good from reports this week. An angler fishing the flats during the middle of the week reported a great striper bite while throwing five-inch Z-Man Diezel Minnowz. A co-angler also caught a five-and-a-half-pound largemouth bass. Most of the action took place in three to five feet of water. Another boat fishing last weekend also had success on the flats, catching striped bass, some largemouth, a few channel catfish, and a giant blue catfish that they estimated to be around 25 pounds. The flats are a very large area to fish, so if you aren’t having luck in one area, it is best to cover water. Generally, depths of three to 12 feet have been noted as productive so far this year. Topwater over grass or shoreline points during the early morning hours has also been effective.

Perch fishing has been slow on the Bay just about everywhere this year, but a few reports are starting to come in from anglers finding success near Turkey Point and the mouth of the Sassafras River. Further up into the tidal rivers in the Way North region, largemouth bass and catfish have been actively feeding around Marinas, but the perch seems to be late showing up further into the tributaries. Catfish have been a reliable target in the Bay and in the tributaries as well. Blue and channel catfish are being caught on the Susquehanna Flats and can be found in all the tidal rivers in this region. We had a report from a boat fishing on the flats that caught close to two dozen catfish (close to an equal mix of both species) while fishing with cut pieces of chicken seasoned with jello and garlic. Cut bait such as eel, bunker, or any other legal baitfish works very well for catfish, but chicken paired with sweet or savory flavorings has been proven to work just as well if not better at times.

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 12 Update:

Striped bass season has been attracting a lot of anglers to the Way North region, and for good reasons. Many anglers have been enjoying early season success in the headwaters of the Bay. Readers live lining spot near the Flats have been doing very well recently, with several readers reporting limit catches of slot rock. One reader also reported a solid topwater bite on the flats during the early morning hours. The flats are a large area to fish and can be hard to narrow down. Recent reports indicate some boats are finding success just outside the mouth of the Susquehanna near Havre De Grace and Perry Point. Depths of eight to 15’ have been mentioned as productive. A good fish finder with side scan can greatly increase the amount of water you can productively survey while on the search for stripers. This is a marine electronics upgrade worth investing in if you spend a lot of time on the water.

The Conowingo Dam was in spill conditions again this week thanks to rain to our north. This essentially shuts down fishing right at the dam, but there are plenty of places downriver on the lower Susquehanna where anglers can find success while the water is pushing. Before the floodgates open, anglers fishing at Conowingo Fisherman’s Park were catching a good number of stripers and catfish by casting into the turbine wash. Slot and over slot stripers, blue catfish, and flathead catfish were all being caught on artificial jigs. It usually takes a 10-foot surf rod or greater to get baits out far enough to where these fish are sitting.  The mouth of Deer Creek has been a productive spot for shore-based anglers looking to catch striped bass. The stripers will stage at the mouth of the creek waiting to ambush baitfish moving in and out. Port Deposit is another notable land-based fishing location where catfish are a common catch. Blue catfish and channel catfish are abundant in the lower Susquehanna River, and any form of fresh cut bait usually gets them biting.

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 5 Update:

Now that striped bass season has opened for the Way North region of the Bay, many anglers are getting back out on the water to chase the state’s most popular fish. After the first week of the season, the reports are looking good with several boats catching fish on the Susquehanna Flats. Live-lining whiter perch is doing the trick in the Susquehanna, with one reader checking in after catching a slot rock plus monster blue catfish in the lower river. Another boat caught 15 stripers while fishing on the lower Susquehanna River. They said the flow was fast, but still fishable. An angler trolling around the Poplar Point area said he caught six fish using a MirrOLure with two under-slots, three slot fish, and one that was well over the slot. He mentioned several other boats were in the area and most were catching fish as well.

Fishing at the Conowingo Dam has been difficult as the spill gates have been open periodically, and when they are, it is impossible to fish right at the dam. The best thing to do is call the spill hotline at 1-877-457-2525 to find out what the current conditions are. When the spill gates are closed and the water is receded, the dam is a great location to fish for striped bass. Anglers often use large surfcasting rods and three-way rigs to cast far out into the wash where the fish tend to reside. Make sure to bring plenty of tackle though, because the rocky bottom is notorious for snagging rigs. Snakeheads can also be found in good numbers across the Way North areas from the Conowingo Dam down to the Susquehanna Flats, and in the tidal rivers. June is usually when their spawning starts, so anglers can expect to see mating pairs and some stubborn fish when they head out. There is an upcoming snakehead tournament courtesy of Maryland DNR. The Snakes on the Dundee, fishing tournament is scheduled for June 7th at Gunpowder Falls State Park. We also encourage anglers to participate in CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count. Anglers can log their invasive species catches to be entered for a chance to win monthly drawings. The data collected also helps fisheries managers track the spread of invasive fish in our waters.